Pesto Party!

Our two basil plants have been constantly picked over this summer (YA and I can find a use for basil in almost everything) and I was thinking that maybe next year we should plant more so we would have enough for putting up some pesto. In swept a hero friends, bringing us excess bounty from their garden and with it a renewed dream of pesto through the winter!

YA wanted to help so we set up production. I stripped the leaves and minced the garlic; she did everything else, from washing the basil leaves to measuring, then running the food processor and getting the finished pesto into the jars. She even stayed at it when I had to run up to Kowalski’s for more garlic, although she did leave me with all the clean up.

Pesto Production

So now we have pesto to last us for a while, although I doubt it will get us through the entire winter – we’ve already both had pesto on naan today!

26 thoughts on “Pesto Party!”

Regarding food, my answer is tomato soup which I can in glass jars. It is summer in a jar, really. I bought a giant pot that is large enough to hold several gallon at once. Really abundant tomato years like this year allow me to make a lot at once. In the past I made a lot more, because I gave it to Lou’s dad for Christmas (4 quarts) in combination with other food such as nuts, cheese, and crackers. In his 90s, there was little else he wanted as a gift.
The recipe is my improvisation.

Warm socks and a steady supply of eggs, flour, and sugar for baking projects. I am not one to can or freeze things for winter – though if friends have excess zucchini I shred that up and freeze it for winter baking.

Backyard pool came down (at last) yesterday. Area has been cordoned off from the dog so it stays nice and smooth for a future ice rink. That has become another thing that gets me through winter: being able to get a bit of ice time – the convenience of having it just out my back door is fabulous. (If I want to tie this all together, yes there are days I don my warm socks, get something in the oven, and go out on the ice for a bit while it bakes…)

Candles, lots of them, and good reads. Not that I read by candlelight, but a couple of lit candles will make any room seem warmer and cozier. Lit candles on the dinner table contribute greatly to the enjoyment of even the humblest meal. I agree with BiR, with colder weather comes a yen for heartier fare; bring on the long simmered soups and stews.

We need brodo (Italian turkey wing/oxtail broth we make and freeze), good nuts like pecans and cashews, all our garden greens and shellout beans, flours for bread baking, home rendered lard for pie crusts, and all the ingredients for our Christmas baking.